March 2010 Archive for A Passionate Voice

The first few days of spring are upon us and the recent chilly days have us all returning back to our warm layers of winter clothing.    The flurry of activities over the past week had this modern ag women bouncing between business suits and high heels to slickers and mud boots. The midnight checks of our maternity ward have been replaced with midnight checks for heat cycles. The countdown to breeding for a January 1 calf is in sight, an optimum calving season for this family.

On the cattle farm, the family and I have spent many bonding moments rounding up cattle for spring vaccinations and carefully planning synchronization of females to ideally fit into our busy schedule.   The size of our cattle farm is small compared to most livestock operations. The financial and managerial decision to not keep a bull on the place was not only practical but also a peace-keeping mission.   The grain farmer in this family (husband) was getting quite grumble as he repaired damaged equipment and gates. 

My twelve-year old daughter and I-the Angus Enthusiasts of the family- have once again found ourselves in our normal seasonal discussion. What will each Angus female be bred too?  The use of Artificial Insemination (A.I.) 100% was not only a practical decision for us but an opportunity to use the optimum genetics for each individual female rather than using one-size-fits all plan that one bull can provide. Is our decision to use only A.I. risky, perhaps? New technology and consulting knowledgeable experts to guide us in the right direction has shortened the odds. 

So once again my daughter and I began to analyze our current breeding program and genetically cataloging each female’s attributes: ranking the good and bad traits of each female, reviewing EPDs and actual data, evaluating the current offsprings on the ground, and asking ourselves which genetic package will provide our farm with the best marketable calf. 

As my daughter and I browse through the catalogs of potential sires, we discussed the phenotypical characteristics that we had observed in the showring and at winter sales. For us the evaluation program has to include the showring, mainly because our herd is so small. Observing the genetic combinations of other farms, assist us to make a more educational decisions.

Through this process, I observed in my daughter the same anticipation I feel every spring; the hopes to provide the next best thing-a heifer or bull calf that is better that its dam or sire. The gleam in her eye is the root of all farmers’ passion to raise crops or livestock to best of our ability. I enjoy spending time mentoring young agriculturists because their passion is contagious and too often the roller coaster of life can derail us adults to lose focus of our dreams.

Today, I had the great honor to serve as the 2010 Chairperson for Illinois Ag Legislative Day.  Below is my letter to agriculture attendees.  This legislative event is sponsored by Illinois Agriculture Organizations in honor of National Ag Week.


Friends of Agriculture:

Illinois Agriculture History has taught us that fortitude by sincere hard-working individuals has resulted in 28 million acres of Illinois farmland returning over 9 billion dollars to the state’s economy.   As a state that economically benefits immensely from agriculture’s productivity, the investment on sustaining the future of the industry is not equivalent.

A new decade is upon us. The challenges before the agriculture producer are mighty.   As a producer, outsmarting Mother Nature, paying sharply escalating production expenses, receiving low commodity prices, and managing hidden costs due to increased regulations has compounded into a tornado of anxiety and uncertainty.

The image of the farmer and/or rancher is repeatedly being tarnished. One non-profit group has loudly announced the desire to end animal agriculture. Other groups silently sneak behind the scene to manipulate legislation and agencies’ rulemaking to make the business of agriculture expensive and impossible to partake in. Regulations and legislation based on emotions and not on accurately documented science can unravel any advancement in technology.

Are the negative attacks results of pure ignorance of agriculture? It is well document that the average American is three generations removed from the farm.  This removal from the everyday operations of a working farm, leads to many myths about agriculture. 

 As an individual involved in agriculture we must come to terms that we are not just a member of organization or single commodity producer but an interconnected portion of entire industry. Revealing the truth about agriculture maybe as simple as becoming an AGVOCATOR (borrowing from fellow Ag Twitters). Speak out for agriculture everyday in the checkout line, in a classroom, or with a lawmaker. 

Today’s technology has created a new frontier for Agvocating by using Smart Media. Realizing the average farmer in Illinois can operate a yield monitor or read a text on the local markets but do not attempt to turn on the computer. Tweeting on Twitter has opened the door for communication between farmers but more importantly to non-agriculture individuals from across the world. Everyday millions are discussing agriculture online. If actual farmers are not present for the online discussion then a simple mislead statement can lead to outlandish campaign against the practices of agriculture. 

Together as a member of the agriculture community we must take a STAND and communicate that Agriculture is vital part of Illinois’ economy but more importantly an essential part of feeding the growing world population. We cannot do this without anticipating and participating in the legislative process. Agriculture leaders go forth and begin building strong relationships with lawmakers and government officials. 

Government Officials and Legislators we encourage you to opening a dialogue with the agriculture leaders listed in this directory. Together we can sustain and strengthen the agricultural economy by investing in its future. GO AG!

Sincerely,
Cheryl Day, Chairperson

While listening to the Illinois House of Representatives debate bills on the legislative floor on Thursday, I was completing redundant office tasks on a typical work day. The normal partisan battering back and forth on various bills blared from my computer’s speakers served as a my much needed background noise until one familiar voice, Representative Jim Sacia (R-89), began to introduce his bill on the final stage of passage. He began by asking the floor noise to be hushed so everyone can clearly hear his bill introduction. As he announced that the Horse Slaughter bill would be called for a vote, all tones began to become muzzled and he had my full attention. I too, a beef producer, was hanging on his every word as Sacia began to explain that he held in hands enough votes to pass HB 4812 -legislation to allow slaughtering horse for meat in Illinois again-after devoted time dedicated to explaining the importance of the legislation and clearing up misconceptions planted strategically in the minds of the non-agriculture lawmakers. (It must be noted that there is minute number of Illinois Representatives and Senators out of 177 legislators who have agriculture background and even smaller number who actually today engage in farming or ranching.)

He shared on the record that despite his effort and the effort of all agriculture to pass this important legislation that the Illinois Senate Leadership (Democrat) has already informed him that they would block his bill from moving into the next leg of its journey. In a strong passionate voice Rep. Sacia also explained that  an individual who contributes “just $19.95 a month” for year (total of $228 year) to the HSUS – Humane Society of United States -to support hands on sheltering of cats and dogs only $1 will actually be given to those local shelters. (A current fundraising campaign launched by the HSUS to collect millions of dollars. Some of the remaining dollars are spent on efforts to place misconception in the ears of those non-agriculture lawmakers.)  Leaving that as his last powerful statement, he asked for the bill to be pulled from the record so his fellow colleagues who agreed to vote “yes” for the truth and allow Horse Slaughter in Illinois again would not suffer negative repercussion.

As I reflect on the actions that transpired that afternoon, I was quickly angered by the actions of the Senate Leadership to once again allow fear of not being re-elected stand in the way of legislation to be actually debated and voted on. But, more importantly on the positive side I salute Representative Jim Sacia for passionately Speaking out for Agriculture. 

National Ag Week is upon us once again, I challenge you to make it a priority to be an Agvocator (a term I borrowed from fellow Ag Twitters-Thank You). Advocating for Agriculture can be a simple as telling your agriculture story to one person every day whether you chose to do it online or in person. Seize the opportunity to open your farming or ranching operation to average citizens and become their reliable source for facts about agriculture. GO AG!